I suggest dropping by your local gallery or Fine Art Museum and speaking with an expert there. Some of the things they may ask you will include-
-How did you acquire the painting?
-Who did you buy it from?
-How much did you pay for it?
-If it was a family heirloom, passed on to you, explain who originally owned it
This information can give an expert a better idea of when it was painted, if the style doesn't make it clear enough. If you could put a link on here with the photos, I might be able to tell you what period the painting was from.
There is also the signature. This is going to be the best way to discover who painted your artwork. Sometimes, they may be hard to read, but an expert may be familiar with the signature. Also, make sure to look at the back of the painting. If it is framed, there may be some information tucked into the back of the frame. Or often there is a little description or blurb and date on the back of the canvas if it isn't framed.
(if you want to edit your post with some of the information I asked for, I may be able to give you more information about your painting)
Edit-
Thanks for posting all that information! Because you got them at Goodwill for that wonderful deal, I have a feeling that these are not original canvases, but framed prints of paintings. I say this because I cannot really get a feeling of the texture of the pieces from a photograph, but if you see the raised paint in some areas then I may be wrong!
I did a quick search on the first artist, but didn't really turn up much as we only know the first letter of his first name. As for the second painting, I was unfortunately unable to read the signature so I couldn't search for who that artist may be, also the blurriness made it a little difficult to try to decipher where the scene was painted, though it does look like a North American snow scene, whereas the first scene appears to be much more tropical in nature. Both of the paintings look like they were painted post 1930s, as they do employ a expressionist quality through their paint strokes. However, I can't really tell you much else at this point. If you could post what the second artist's name is, I might have more luck turning something up. Often times however, you have obscure artists who do one or two paintings throughout their lifetime, and leave behind very few biographical records.
If you are really curious in learning more about the paintings, then I definitely would suggest taking them both down when you have time, and seeing if there is any identifying information on the back. If not they may remain a mystery, but they are beautiful paintings all the same! If you do find something, then I suggest looking up the closest university to you, and seeing if they have an art history professor who specializes in contemporary or modern art. They may be able to offer you some assistance or direct you on to other resources.